Continuous Online Analysis for Coal Mining Operations
COALSCAN analysers have been supplied globally since the early 1980s and are the standard for coal quality analysis on conveyed flows. With unmatched performance and reliability, they are used to improve coal quality, optimise blending and maximise operational efficiency with continuous online analysis of coal and process streams.
Every stage of a coal operation depends on maintaining consistent material quality. Variations in ash, moisture, sulphur and calorific value can affect product specifications and operational performance.
Scantech’s proven COALSCAN range provides continuous ash, elemental and moisture analysis across mines, wash plants, stockyards, ports, power stations, coke plants and steel plants. These systems support both thermal and metallurgical coal applications, helping operators optimise blending, monitor quality and improve process control.
The CIFA350 also measures unburnt carbon in fly ash, supporting improved boiler efficiency and fly ash quality for applications such as cement production.
Consistent coal quality is essential for meeting customer specifications and maximising product value. Variations in ash, moisture, sulphur and calorific value can affect blending decisions, contract compliance and overall plant performance.
Scantech’s continuous online analysis solutions continuously monitor run of mine (ROM) coal, crusher feed, product conveyors, reclaim conveyors, train loading and ship loading operations, providing operators with accurate quality information throughout the production process. Continuous measurements enable faster operational decisions, optimise coal quality and help maintain consistent product specifications.
Key Benefits
Improve coal quality control
Reduce product variability
Improve product consistency
Meet customer specifications
Increase product value
Support quality assurance
Optimise Material Handling, Reduce Process Losses and Eliminate Unnecessary Cost
Coal quality measurement from the mine allows coal producers to optimise the value of available resources by measuring and responding to variability in coal quality before the beneficiation process. Product quality coal can bypass the wash plant and be stockpiled as product saving valuable capacity for coal that does need upgrading and reducing wash plant processing losses on the coal that does not need processing.
Material from the mine that is too diluted or contaminated can be diverted to a waste stockpile for possible future processing if needed or blended with coal that is above the specification to utilise the material further.
Scantech’s continuous online analysis solutions continuously monitor ROM coal, washed coal, product stockpiles and blended coal streams, enabling operators to optimise material handling and quality management strategies based on measured coal quality.
Key Benefits
Reduce unnecessary processing
Reduce cost per product tonne
Minimise process losses
Optimise resource utilisation
Improve stockpile utilisation
Maximise saleable coal
Improve operational flexibility
Optimise Product Quality
Effective blending allows coal producers to maximise the value of available resources while consistently meeting product specifications. Variability in coal quality can make blending difficult without accurate process information.
Scantech’s continuous online analysis solutions continuously monitor ROM coal, washed coal, product stockpiles and blended coal streams, enabling operators to optimise blending strategies based on measured coal quality. Improved blending reduces giveaway, increases product consistency and maximises resource utilisation.
Coal-fired power stations commonly blend coal from multiple sources to achieve a balance between cost and coal quality feed to boilers. Coal is blended based on key composition criteria such as ash, sulphur and calorific value.
Coal used in metallurgical processes is also often blended to ensure consistent quality, such as in coke making.
Key Benefits
Optimise coal blending
Reduce product giveaway
Improve stockpile utilisation
Increase product consistency
Maximise saleable coal
Improve operational flexibility
Coal moisture influences product quality, material handling, transport costs and contractual compliance. Excess moisture can reduce handling efficiency and increase freight costs, while inconsistent moisture can affect blending and quality reporting.
Moisture content in thermal coal has a significant impact on the energy balance in boilers, as the moisture must be evaporated and heated, consuming energy that would otherwise contribute to steam generation and overall boiler efficiency.
Scantech’s continuous online analysis solutions continuously monitor ROM coal, washed coal, product conveyors, reclaim conveyors, train loading and ship loading operations, providing accurate moisture information throughout the production process. Continuous moisture measurement supports improved process control, blending accuracy and product consistency.
Key Benefits
Improve moisture control
Reduce transport costs
Improve material handling
Optimise coal blending
Improve quality reporting
Increase operational efficiency
Maintaining consistent quality during train and ship loading is essential for meeting customer contracts and reducing quality disputes. Continuous monitoring provides confidence that exported coal consistently meets target specifications.
Typical specifications include ash content, sulphur, calorific value and moisture content. Analysers are applied for selection and blending of coal in stockyards to achieve target specifications and avoid penalties. Loading volumes can be confirmed using SizeScan measurement in real-time.
Scantech’s continuous online analysis solutions continuously monitor train loading conveyors, reclaim conveyors, ship loading conveyors and export product streams, allowing operators to verify product quality before shipment and make informed operational decisions when product quality changes.
Key Benefits
Verify export quality
Reduce contractual risk
Improve customer confidence
Minimise product variability
Support quality assurance
Improve shipment consistency
Laboratory testing remains an important part of coal quality assurance, providing detailed analysis of collected samples. However, laboratory results are typically based on periodic samples and are only available after the coal has already moved through the process.
Continuous online analysis complements laboratory testing by continuously monitoring the entire material stream as it is conveyed. This provides operators with immediate process information, enabling earlier identification of quality changes, improved blending decisions and greater control over product quality.
Scantech recommends full-flow COALSCAN analysis wherever possible rather than sample stream analysis. Measuring only a small portion of the conveyed material introduces sampling error, which can outweigh the analyser’s measurement precision. Experienced operators estimate this error can be equivalent to 0.5–1% ash. Full-flow analysis avoids this sampling uncertainty and can achieve ash precision as low as 0.2% with a robust calibration process.
Limitations of Traditional Laboratory Testing
Periodic sample analysis
Results available after sampling
Represents only a small portion of the material stream
Best suited for quality verification
Benefits of Continuous Online Analysis
Continuous measurement across the entire material stream
Immediate process information
Continuous quality and moisture monitoring
Earlier identification of quality changes
Improved blending decisions
Reduced product variability
Coal operations vary in seam structure, wash plant configuration and blending strategy.
Scantech systems are configured to align with site layout, control systems and operational objectives. Measurement frequency and analyser specification are tailored to suit process control requirements.
This ensures reliable performance in demanding mining environments.
Long-term analyser performance depends on correct installation, calibration and ongoing service. Scantech supports coal operations with:
Common installation points include raw coal conveyors, post-wash product streams and blending transfer points. Coal quality can also be controlled at thermal power stations for specific boiler feed requirements.
Yes. Systems measure ash and calorific value on conveyed coal after beneficiation. Moisture can also be measured if required for energy value confirmation and material handling purposes.
Continuous elemental data enables operators to adjust blending ratios in real time to meet product specifications. Different customers may require different blends to meet their quality specifications.
Moisture systems can operate alongside elemental analysers to provide a more complete quality profile. Moisture content also affects energy value so is often measured where CV (calorific value) needs to be controlled.
Yes. Analysers are designed for continuous operation in industrial and mining conditions.
